Casting-ladle mechanism



Oct. 2 1923.

J. B. LADD CASTING LADLE MEQHANISM Filed Sept. 15, iegl 7 WWI N709 J m 8BY ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1923.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. LADD, OF ARDHORE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES CASTIRON PIPE & FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OFNEW JERSEY.

Application filed September 15, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES B. LADD, acitizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of Ardniore, in the county of Montgomery, in theState of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Casting-Ladle Mechanism, of which the following is a trueand exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to casting ladle mechanism and has for its objectto provide a mechanism which will insure a flow of molten metal ofconstant head and volume from the casting ladle to a mold.

My invention is of a special value and importance for use in connectionwith centrifugal casting machines of the type described in the Germanpatent'to Briede, No. 242,307 of January 1, 1912, and in my co-pendingapplication filed September 13, 1921, Serial No. 500,331, I havedescribed and shown casting ladle mechanism adapted to maintain aconstant head and volume of How in a ladle held stationary while pouringin combination with a casting machine of the type indicated and claimedin this combination. My present invention has to do'with a special typeof mechanism for securing the kind of flow indicated and as such ladlemechanism is of use and value apart from the centrifugal castingmechanism I have not specifically limited my claims to the combinationof the described mechanism"with. any particular form offc'astingmachine.

The leading feature of my present invention consists in providing thecasting ladle with a reservoir from which metal can be poured into itwith afloat supported on the metal in the casting ladle and withmechanism actuated by the up and downmotion of this float forcontrolling the flow of metal from'the reservoir to the ladle. I

My invention will be best understood as described in connection with thedrawings in which it is illustrated and in which-- Figure 1 is a sideelevation partly in section of one form of mechanism embodying myinvention, and

Figure 2 is also a side elevation partly in section of modified form ofmechanism also embodying my invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, AA, is one of two standards for supportingthe ladles and coacting mechanism, these standards being Serial No.500,848.

by which it is supported on the trunnion supports A. CC is a bracketsecured to the bottom of the ladle, as shown, and C an upright standardsecured at the rear top of the ladle. DD is a rock shaft secured to thestandards AA; DD an operating lever and DD a lever secured to the rockshaft DD and connecting by a link DD with the bracket CC, as shown. E isthe reservoir ladle having, as shown, a pouring spout E and trunnions Eby which it is supported on the supports AA. E is a bracket extendingout from the bottom of the ladle, as shown. F is a cylinder in whichworks a piston not shown, connected by a piston rod F and the link Fwith the bracket E G is a pipe connection for fluid under pressureconnecting through a valve indicated at G and a pipe G with the bottomof the cylinder F. G is a lever armfor actuating the valve. H is anexhaust pipe leading from the bottom of the cylinder F and controlled bya valve H, and valve lever H I is an adjustable rod secured at itsbottom to the valve lever G and having, as shown, a counterweightI alsoattached at its bottom. The upper end of this rod is slotted asindicated at I and engaged by a pin in the end of lever arm J pivoted onthe standard C and having a lever extension J which, together with alever arm J also pivoted on the standard C, are pivotally secured to theupright bar J extending from the top of a float J which is supported onthe fluid met-a1 in the casting ladle.

' In operation theca'sting ladle C int-he position indicated in dottedlines is charged with molten metalatoa definite and desired height andthe reservoir ladle in the posi tion shown in full lines is also chargedwith molten metal. The piston in the cylinder F is in the bottom of thecylinder and the mechanism controlled by the float J is in the positionin which the valve Gr is closed. It being desired to begin the pouringof molten metal into the mold the operator by means of the operatinglever DD and the toggle connected lever DD and link DD tilts the castingladle'tothe position shown in full lines from. which a stream ofdefinite v0lume will flow over its lip C. As the level of the metal in.thecasting ladle falls the .flOftiL J will move down with the result ofapproximately constant level of metal .is

maintained in the casting ladle and conse quently a constant flow oi.metalwill, issue from it.

At the end of the casting operation the ex? haust valve H is opened andthe lever DD operated to return the casting ladle to nonpouringposition.

Referring next to the modification shown in Fig. 2 indicates one of twostandards supporting the casting and reservoir ladies, these standardsbeing connected together by crossxframing indicated ate and ha ing, asshown, trunnion supports at a" and a 0 indicates the casting ladlesupported,- as shown by trunnions a 0 and having a bot tom pour orificec which is opened and closed by a stopper indicated at 70 andwhic'h isconnected by a'cross-barl-i' withavertical slidcylc moving in guidewaysc c and actuatedto raise the stopper is or lower it to a definite degreeby toggle levers Z and Z and an actuating rod pivoted to these togglelevers and connected at 7/. e indicates the reservoir ladle supported,as shown, by trun nions resting on the support a? and in thisconstruction being of the bottom pour kind hai'i pouringorilice c at itsbottom. a is a stopper, the raising or loweringoi which re ulates theflow .thi'ou h the bottom- .iour

orifice. This stopper, as shown, is connected bra cross harm, to thevertical slide a moving in gnidew'ays e c and actuatedthrough a rod'ifconnected with a piston not shown incylinderindicated at f. g isapipeconnect-ion leadingfronra. sourceof fluid. under pressure andconnecting througha valve in i .d-icated at g? with pipes g and g whichin turn connect with. the top andbottom of the cylinder The valve 9 isactuated through a valve lever g? to which is connected adjustable rod2' connected in turn withmechanism similar to that described inconnection with Fig. land actuated by a float J.

In the construction of Fig. 2 the casting ladle c is filled to adefinite height whicli'is that atwhich the flow will hold the valve ininitial position. The stopper 7c is, of course, down as is also thestopper a of the reservoir ladle. hen it is desired to begin pouring thetoggle levers Z, Z, are actuated. to lift the stopper to a'definiteheight and hold it in this position. iMolte'n metal willthen flowthrough the bottom pour orifice c and the float J will begin to movedownward and coming through the mechanism described and the valve will.admit pressure fluid through the pipe 9 to the bottom or cylinder f withthe result that-through the described mechanism the stopper a will beraised and metal will pass down. throughthe opening 722/ in the cover atof the castingladle. As the level of the metal in the casting ladle.

moves up 'and'downtlieposition of the valve.

g will be shifted with the result that the stopper a will move up anddown regulating the flow of metal intothe castingladle in such a waythat an approximatelyconstant level will be maintained therein.

Having now dos ,ribed my invention, what I claim as, new and desire tosecure by. Lettors Patent, is: Q V

1. In combination with a casting ladle,

means for maintaining aconstant level of molten metal therein duringiouring con- SlSl'lilQ" 01ft]. reservoir adapted to deliver molten metalto the ladle, afloat resting on themetal in the ladleand meanscontrolled by the upand down motion ofathe float for regulating thepouringof metal from the reservoir so as to maintain an approximatelyconstant level in the ladle. p

. 2. In combination with a casting ladle,

means for maintaining: a constant-level of l molten metal therein duringpouring con-Q sisting of means for initiatinga flow of metal from theladle, a reservoir adapted to deliver molten mctalqto'the ladle, afloatresting on the metal in the ladle andm'eans' controlled by the upfanddown motion of the-float forregulating thepouring oif'metal from thereservoir so'as to maintain an approximately constant level inthe ladlei JAMES B. Lani).

